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Biology: Any experiences with Red Wagon Tutorial or MPOA?


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I had planned to sign up dd for BB online Biology, but Dr. Wile is not offering Biology this year unfortunately. His staff recommended Red Wagon tutorials, and I am also looking at Memoria Press Online Biology. Any experiences with either? MP has two teachers listed -- Kristin Peterson and Jennifer Lovell. I would love any feedback for any of these or other great Christian biology options.

Edited by ByGrace3
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ok I finally found reviews of Red Wagon . . . not sure why they were not showing up before when I searched . . . does not look like that will be a good fit for my sensitive dd. Also, it looks like MP uses a secular text for Biology...anyone know how that works with MP being a Christian provider? I am looking for a Christian Worldview for Biology. 

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If you wanted to use Wile's Apologia text, you might take a look at the free, at-your-own-pace (AYOP) biology with virtualhomeschoolgroup.  The instructor on the voice threads is very positive and has a gentle demeanor.  You can use the online instruction before or after reading the text.  There are online practice quizzes and exams (multiple multiple choice), but you can use the in-text reviews and the tests that come with the text to verify your dc's understanding without the multiple choice.  You have to do the labs yourself. There's also a live class option but I understand that can be hard to get into unless you are volunteering with the organization somehow to qualify for early enrollment. 

Edited by klmama
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36 minutes ago, klmama said:

If you wanted to use Wile's Apologia text, you might take a look at the free, at-your-own-pace (AYOP) biology with virtualhomeschoolgroup.  The instructor on the voice threads is very positive and has a gentle demeanor.  You can use the online instruction before or after reading the text.  There are online practice quizzes and exams (multiple multiple choice), but you can use the in-text reviews and the tests that come with the text to verify your dc's understanding without the multiple choice.  You have to do the labs yourself. There's also a live class option but I understand that can be hard to get into unless you are volunteering with the organization somehow to qualify for early enrollment. 

 

Thank you. I would very much prefer to have Biology outsourced next year. We have decided to split her classes live/self-paced/and mom taught. Biology in not a strength of mine, and I would like the accountability of someone else grading her work, especially labs.  

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2 hours ago, Nam2001 said:

I’m assuming you’ve already looked at Schole and WHA? 

 

Yes. Schole time does not work for us, and WHA's Biology is designed to be taken later in high school as an advanced biology from what I have gathered . . . 

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3 minutes ago, ByGrace3 said:

 

Yes. Schole time does not work for us, and WHA's Biology is designed to be taken later in high school as an advanced biology from what I have gathered . . . 

Gotcha. I’ve been so pleased with Schole that I’m inclined to do as much from them as I can when outsourcing is necessary. I didn’t realize they even had science until today. Good to know for the future! 

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1 minute ago, Nam2001 said:

Gotcha. I’ve been so pleased with Schole that I’m inclined to do as much from them as I can when outsourcing is necessary. I didn’t realize they even had science until today. Good to know for the future! 

 

Yes, we LOVE Schole, and dd is taking DoD there next year. They would be my go to if the time worked out. Unfortunately 2-3:15 when my kids play after school sports doesn't work for us. 😞

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MPOA's class teaches the complete Holt textbook including evolution but with the occasional comment about how wonderfully God works through evolution. Trinqueta had Kristin Peterson who is a very good teacher. In general, MPOA is a Christian school but it doesn't have a fundamentalist statement of faith. They're more like a Catholic or Episcopal school than a BJU or Abeka school.

Edited by chiguirre
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3 hours ago, chiguirre said:

MPOA's class teaches the complete Holt textbook including evolution but with the occasional comment about how wonderfully God works through evolution. Trinqueta had Kristin Peterson who is a very good teacher. In general, MPOA is a Christian school but it doesn't have a fundamentalist statement of faith. They're more like a Catholic or Episcopal school than a BJU or Abeka school.

 

Thank you. This is very helpful...I guess we are back to the drawing board . . . .I definitely want evolution taught but we are YE . . . 

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1 hour ago, chiguirre said:

You might want to take a look at Excelsior Academy.

https://excelsiorclasses.com/courses/

 

They're a bunch of ex Landry Academy teachers. Debbie Stokes is the instructor and she got consistently good reviews when she was with Landry. They use Science Shepherd. I know that Landry's bio was definitely YE so it's likely that Excelsior is too.

 

Thank you! I will look into it. At a glance it does look like the time would work . . . oh Landry . . . we lost so much money in that debacle. ugh. 

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OP, I hope you find something that works for you, and it sounds like Excelsior Classes might. But I wanted to mention for anyone else who is reading, while Mrs. Stokes at Excelsior Classes does use Science Shepherd for her high school biology course, the other Excelsior Classes science courses, at least at the high school level, do not use the Science Shepherd curriculum. Just wanted to mention that since it was referenced in an earlier post. My son is taking chemistry and anatomy & physiology, and both use secular texts. Some of their other high school science courses appear to use OpenStax (free online digital, or low-cost in print) textbooks. 

Edited by TarynB
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3 hours ago, TarynB said:

OP, I hope you find something that works for you, and it sounds like Excelsior Classes might. But I wanted to mention for anyone else who is reading, while Mrs. Stokes at Excelsior Classes does use Science Shepherd for her high school biology course, the other Excelsior Classes science courses, at least at the high school level, do not use the Science Shepherd curriculum. Just wanted to mention that since it was referenced in an earlier post. My son is taking chemistry and anatomy & physiology, and both use secular texts. Some of their other high school science courses appear to use OpenStax (free online digital, or low-cost in print) textbooks. 

Thank  you so much for letting me know! 

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7 hours ago, Mom28kds said:

I was looking at Dive Science. I don't know much about it but it seems to be from a Christian worldview. They have Biology and is self paced.

https://diveintomath.com/self-paced-elearning-course-for-dive-biology/

 

This is my back up if I can't find a live class, but my dd has requested to do it live . . . .if I can find one! 

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8 hours ago, ByGrace3 said:

I have found that College Prep Science and Big River Academy have Biology times that will work for us. Anyone have any opinions on those? 

College Prep Science is run by Landry.

That's all I will say about that.

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12 hours ago, RootAnn said:

College Prep Science is run by Landry.

That's all I will say about that.

 

Yes. Thank you. I did know that. In fact, I have unused Landry credits that Greg Landry allows you to use towards the class so it is is the most cost effective option for us. I decided to try it. I respect the fact that at least he is trying to make it right for those who lost money . . . as we did. 

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  • 3 months later...
On 6/27/2019 at 6:19 PM, Nam2001 said:

Did you decide about Biology? 

 

I did. I ended up choosing College Prep Science, I know people have issues with Landry, and I get it because I lost money as well. However, he is trying to make it right. I was able to get over half of the course paid for out of what I had lost on landry. We shall see how it works out! 

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1 hour ago, ByGrace3 said:

 

I did. I ended up choosing College Prep Science, I know people have issues with Landry, and I get it because I lost money as well. However, he is trying to make it right. I was able to get over half of the course paid for out of what I had lost on landry. We shall see how it works out! 

Great! I’m glad you found something. Are you doing their traveling lab intensive also? We’re signed up for one this winter. 

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1 hour ago, Nam2001 said:

Great! I’m glad you found something. Are you doing their traveling lab intensive also? We’re signed up for one this winter. 

 

I am considering it. I think it would  be beneficial to do an in person lab, however, the last time I looked, they were kind of far from us. I will have to look again! 

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  • 2 years later...

Hi there - just for clarity's sake for any who find this thread in the future, MPOA's classes are not taught with any particular denominational emphasis, particularly the science courses (of which I teach several). I am a protestant. When we teach evolution we do talk about the Creation view a little bit to compare perspectives, but mostly we are teaching our students how to be critical readers and thinkers when it comes to theories such as the Evolution theory, which is not based on as many experiments and observations as other theories and thus has a lot of controversy. I've had all kinds of students in my classes - Catholic, protestant, atheist, Muslim, etc., and all are able to find a respectful environment in my classes. MPOA does not take a stance on young earth/old earth.

We teach Biology at nearly an AP level (it's actually significantly more advanced than the AP Bio class I had in high school), so it's definitely not for everyone. I'm thankful there are MANY Bio options out there for homeschoolers. It's a difficult course to teach in a homeschool environment (I homeschooled my kids also and had them attend MPOA Biology with another teacher a few years ago, except my youngest, who was stuck with me).

Just an FYI for you all! God Bless.

Warmly,

Kristin Peterson

Edited by K_0987
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On 10/13/2021 at 7:31 AM, K_0987 said:

Hi there - just for clarity's sake for any who find this thread in the future, MPOA's classes are not taught with any particular denominational emphasis, particularly the science courses (of which I teach several). I am a protestant. When we teach evolution we do talk about the Creation view a little bit to compare perspectives, but mostly we are teaching our students how to be critical readers and thinkers when it comes to theories such as the Evolution theory, which is not based on as many experiments and observations as other theories and thus has a lot of controversy. I've had all kinds of students in my classes - Catholic, protestant, atheist, Muslim, etc., and all are able to find a respectful environment in my classes. MPOA does not take a stance on young earth/old earth.

We teach Biology at nearly an AP level (it's actually significantly more advanced than the AP Bio class I had in high school), so it's definitely not for everyone. I'm thankful there are MANY Bio options out there for homeschoolers. It's a difficult course to teach from home (I homeschooled my kids also and had them attend MPOA Biology with another teacher a few years ago, except my youngest, who was stuck with me).

Just an FYI for you all! God Bless.

Warmly,

Kristin Peterson

 

Edited by desertflower
The creation view is not in question here. OP asked for any experience with MP science teachers.
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2 hours ago, EKS said:

To be clear--the "creation view" is not scientific, and the "controversy" about evolutionary theory does not come from within the scientific community.  If this is the orientation of the instructors at MPOA, anyone wanting an actual scientific approach to biology should look elsewhere.

Evolution is the organizing principle of modern biology.  To teach anything less is unscientific.

I am not entirely sure how this is helpful on this thread -- There are scientists -- credible, intelligent, professionals who believe in Creationism. Yes, I understand they are in the minority. I understand the concern of "if you don't want creationism taught as an option go elsewhere" but to come on a thread where someone is looking for a Creation based biology course and say it is not "an actual scientific approach" or is "unscientific" seems a bit unhelpful. 

I get we disagree on this topic, and I am not looking to debate it, just gently tell you that your post comes off condescending to those of a different belief, especially on a thread specifically looking for Creation science options...

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On 10/13/2021 at 11:13 AM, EKS said:

To be clear--the "creation view" is not scientific, and the "controversy" about evolutionary theory does not come from within the scientific community.  If this is the orientation of the instructors at MPOA, anyone wanting an actual scientific approach to biology should look elsewhere.

Evolution is the organizing principle of modern biology.  To teach anything less is unscientific.

Hi there! The OP here said she was looking for Christian options, so it appears that you jumped into this thread to specifically insult me and/or having a biblical worldview. But no worries on my end, this is a normal occurrence and I don't take anything personally.

There is controversy with the evolution theory - because some of it is not observable, which is one portion of the foundation of the whole realm of science (observation, experimentation, reasoning). There are certainly many components within it that are observable, such as natural selection. I'm always excited to teach my students what science is meant to be (i.e. a process, a method of learning, and never a set of completed facts or truth since science is always changing and growing and advancing), because it makes them want to pursue science and learn more things and be "students of nature". I work hard to inspire them. With ALL theories within the whole realm of science we need to be critical thinkers and readers. Our secular biology books uses many words that are speculative language and I point them out to help students understand how the evolution theory in particular has many different components that are still being evaluated by the scientific community, and are not, in fact, completely settled.

I am not being "unscientific", as you put it, for believing that all of the order, design, structure, pattern, and math we see in nature comes from a Designer and is not just pure coincidence and an accident. This position is a faith position (as is the position that it came about by an accident - neither position is provable, so they are both faith positions), not a scientific one. The scientific position is that order, design, structure, pattern, and math exist. So I can be a scientist, a science teacher, and love the Lord all at the same time because there is no conflict between faith and the study of God's world. Science is a process of discovery, not truth. That's why I love science so much, it never ends, we never come to the finish line.

Thought I should clarify my teaching angle, and that while you meant to insult me and my capabilities, and the amazing academy I work for that has some of the best teachers in the nation (especially for Latin), I am not offended. All the best to you!

Edited by K_0987
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Also, as an update to this thread -- My dd had a great year with College Prep Science -- it was very challenging, but an excellent learning opportunity. My ds is currently taking Biology with Excelsior Classes (same text- Science Shepherd) and is not nearly as difficult -- which is a better fit for my ds. So thankful to have all of these options! 

College Prep Science- did virtual labs

Excelsior Classes- hands on labs

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4 hours ago, K_0987 said:

Thought I should clarify my teaching angle, and that while you meant to insult me and my capabilities, and the amazing academy I work for that has some of the best teachers in the nation (especially for Latin), I am not offended. All the best to you!

I did not mean to insult you--merely set the record straight with regard to what science is, particularly when it comes to biology, and what is not.

 

Edited by EKS
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